Havas Play Expands into Havas Play Network UK

The Havas Media Network will integrate its existing entertainment publicity specialist agency Organic, social media agency Wilderness, brand-to-brand agency Simbiotik and Havas Play into the Havas Play Network UK to create an expanded offering. Patrick Affleck, CEO, Havas Media Network UK, said, “In integrating these capabilities and agencies under the Havas PlayNetwork, we can create and deliver 360 ideas and experiences that help connect brands to fans through their passions.” 

The Havas Play Network UK will be led by CEO Nick Wright who's been promoted from his current role as chief growth officer for HMN UK. Completing the Havas Play Network UK leadership team will include Lucy Basden-Smith (MD, Havas Play UK), Tom Jarvis (MD, Wilderness acquired in 2024), Caragh Cook (MD, Organic) and Ross Taylor – who joined in November from Iris Worldwide into the newly created position of group executive creative director. Its clients will include EE, Montirex, Disney+, Netflix and World Cup, Bethesda and The FA. 

Nick will continue to report into Affleck, HMN UK & Ireland CEO, who said, “Nick’s vast and proven experience in this space will be invaluable as we look to bring these capabilities together to create more immersive brand experiences and transformational solutions for our clients and their customers. And with Lucy, Tom, Caragh and Ross joining Nick, the Havas Play Network and its clients have a best-in-class leadership team to help them break new ground.” 

Nick joined HMN UK as group creative director twelve years ago from award winning brand experience agency Amplify and rose to chief growth officer in September 2023 where he helped transform the Network’s approach to new business and marketing leading to a host of high profile wins over the last 12 months, including Ocado, Red Bull, Storck and Abercrombie & Kent. During his time at Havas, he also launched and led two innovative agency propositions: JUMP in 2019, now part of Havas Play, and Havas Entertainment in 2021, which went on to secure clients like Bethesda, SEGA, UKTV (now ‘U’), Bumble and Remy Cointreau. 

The Havas Play Network sits as the cultural epicentre of Havas Village London, bridging both the creative group and media network. The expanded network will join the dots between culture, channels and communities to create connected campaigns that cover every touchpoint of a customer journey. As part of this enhanced and expanded offering, Organic and Wilderness will continue to operate as client facing specialist brands within the Havas Play Network servicing their existing direct client base.  

Nick Wright, CEO, Havas Play Network UK, said, “Creating campaigns that go beyond creative and media silos is no longer an option or ‘nice to have’ – it’s an imperative to help clients punch above the weight of their increasingly stretched budgets. Havas Play has been a game changer in this world, creating award winning work in its own right as well as fuelling the creativity of our media clients. Supercharging this into a network of agencies with the social and PR specialisms of Wilderness and Organic will further enhance our ability to create truly connected campaigns and our reputation for thinking and doing differently.”